Tank cap lock



W. F. HOLLISTER April 12, 1932.

TANK CAP LOCK Filed March 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l snow/boa 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 April 12, 1932. w. F. HOLLISTER TANK CAP LOCK Filed March22,

I If R\ K. r 9 1 m \l... 4/ 2 J g 2 P 2 5 '0 f a a m 2 c 2 n a w 2 9 "J5 2 e f 2 5 I l 9 "w 2 A I I- 6 27. T J 3 8 2 6 0 z E 2 kw 0 a z w a z-1 f h 7 z a Patented Apr. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLOUGHBY F.'HOLLISTER, OF (JOWEN', WEST VIRGINIA TANK GAP LOCK ApplicationflledfMarch 22, 1930. Serial No. 438,155.

The invention relates to a new and improved lock for the filling neckcap of a conventional automobile fuel tank. The invention relatesparticularly to assemblagesin which the filling neck of the tank isprovided with opposed arcuate flanges of substantially right angularcross section extending inwardly from the outer end of the neck andhaving inclined edges which (mad; with a pair of arms on the cap, forthe purpose of securing the latter to the neck when said cap is turnedin the proper direction.

It is one object of the invention to provide the aforesaid flanges withratchet teeth and to mount aspring-pressed dog on the cap for coactionwith said teeth in holding the cap against being turned in a directionto remove it, releasing means being provided for the dog, operable fromthe exterior of'the cap.

The dog-releasing means is "preferably key-actuated and it is a furtheraim to provide novel means for holdin the abovenamed dog in its releasedposltion after it has once been released by the key, novel provisionbeing made whereby the means for holding the dog in said releasedposition may itself be released when it is desired to again have the dogproject to operative position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedlock structure of simple and inexpensive nature and one which may havefields of use other than in connection with tank caps.

With the foregoing-in View, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective viewshowing a portion of a fuel tank and the invention. applied to thefilling cap thereof.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view online 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. a

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5+5of Fig.

Fig.6 is a disassembled perspectiveview' of a number of the lock parts.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the lock applied to adoor.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 will first be described. Inthese views, T denotes a fuel tankof an automobile, said tank havingafilling neck N provided with a flanged cap C. The outer end of the neckN is provided with opposed arcuate inwardly projecting flanges F ofsubstantially-right angular cross section, said flanges having freeinclined edges E which are co-opera-ble with two arms A carried by thecap, for'the purpose of securing the latter to the neck. These arms areintegral with a central plate P which is secured within the cap C in aconventional manner as illustrated in Fig. 5. hen the cap is applied,the arms A pass through the gaps G between the flanges F and then uponturning of the cap in theproper direction, said arms engage the edges Eand draw the cap firmly into position and securelyhold it.

All of the parts so far described are of well known form and constitutenopart of the present invention except in relation with went with saidteeth for the purpose of holding the cap against turning in a directionto remove it. The dog or bolt could be of any desired form and anyappropriate operating means could be provided for releasing said. dog orbolt to allow removal of the cap. The preferred construction however hasbeen illustrated and will now be described.

A sleeve 10 projects centrally outward from the cap C and is preferablysecured to the plate P as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. A A look body 11in the form of a block, lies against the inner side of'the plate P andis itself provided with an outwardly projecting sleeve 12 which passesthroughthe sleeve 10. A collar -13 is shown on the outer end of sleeve12 abutting theouter end of sleeve 10 to hold the former against inwardsliding from the latter, and to hold said sleeve 12 and the body Thebolt 9 is provided with a beveledtooth 19 adapted to co-act with aspring arm 20 for the purpose of holding said bolt in retractedposition, said spring arm being secured to the lug '18 and lying againstthe inner side of said bolt. An appropriate spring 21 is provided fornormally projecting said bolt, and in the present disclosure, saidspring is housed within the bolt and abuts a pin 22 carried by the body11 and the guide 17 the bolt being slotted at 23 to receive said pin.

Projection of the bolt, if not limited by contact with one of theflanges F, is limited by a stop stud or the like 24 with which it isprovided, said part 2 1 being adapted to abutthe guide 16.

A rotatable and slidable, key-actuated spindle 25 is shown for releasingthe bolt 9,

the'inner end of said spindle having a pinion 26 meshing with rack teeth27.011 one edge of said bolt. I have shown a sleeve 28- surrounding andsecured to the spindle 25, said sleeve being slidable and rotatablewithin the sleeve 12 and the opening 15. A screw 29 (Fig. 5)isillustrated for securing the parts 25 and 28 together, but other desiredmeans couldbe provided for this purpose, and if de- 7 sired,'anyappropriate arrangement of keycontrolled tumblers could be employed fornormally locking the spindle against rotation. For illustrativepurposes, however, the spindle 25 and the sleeve 28 are merely shown asprovided with registering slots 30 and 31 to receive an operating key.It will be observed that the inner end of the groove 30 is closed andthat the inner end of the spindle 25 lies against the spring arm 20.Hence, after this spring arm has engaged the tooth 19' of the bolt '9 tohold the latter retracted, an inward push 011 the key or perhapsdirectly uponthe spindle, will inwardly spring said arm 20 fromengagement with said tooth 19, allowing the bolt to again be projectedunder the influence of its spring 21. I A cap 32 is preferably providedto normally protect the outer end of the lock structure; In the presentshowing, this cap is threaded-upon the outer end of the sleeve 10, butit might of course be mounted in some other appropriate way. At 33, thecap 32 may be provided with a'vent for allowing entrance of air tothe-fuel tank as the fuel is withdrawn. I

' Upon removal of the cap 32 and insertion of the proper key into thegroove and slot 3031, the spindle may be rotated to retract the bolt 9and incident'to such retraction, the beveled tooth 19 will snap over thespring arm 20, the latter then holding the bolt in retracted positionand allowing turning of the cap 0 to remove it. vVhen the cap is againapplied, inward push on the spindle 25 either with the key or by hand,will slide said spindle and sleeve 28 inwardly, thereby releasing thespring arm 20 from the tooth 19 and allowing projection of the bolt 9 toits operative position, under the influence of its spring 21,

I wish it understood that any desired lock means may be employed for thepurpose of effecting release of the bolt 9, and that the particularbolt-releasing means herein disclosed, is to therefore be considered asillus trative-rather than limiting, this being also true of. a number ofspecific details of construction which Ihave disclosed.

.Moreover, it maybe stated thatif desired,

all working parts at the innerside of the cap C'may be housed within anappropriate casing (not shown) The lock structure above described is notrestricted to use with caps. By mounting it within an appropriate casing3 1 (Fig. 7 and makingminor variations, it may be used upon a door D.When such an application is required, the spindle 25will be providedwith an extension 35 provided with a knob 40 at the. inner side ofihecasing 34. Hence, the

bolt 9 and the spring arm 20 may be controlled from the interior as wellas from the exterior of the door, the proper key being of coursenecessary in order to operate the look from the outside. a I cl m:

1. An assemblage of the class described comprising a tank filling neckhaving two o I posed arcuate inwardly projecting flanges at its outerend, said flanges being of substantially right angular cross section andhaving'helically pitched edges presented toward the inner'end of saidneck, the inner sides of said flanges being provided with ratchet teeth;aflanged'cap applicable to said neck and. having arms to engage saidinclined flangeedges when the cap is turned a spring} pro ected dogmounted on and disposed at the inner side of said cap, said dog beingadapted to engage said ratchet teeth to hold the cap against turning inadirection to remove it, and releasing-means for said dog operable fromthe exterior of said cap.

An assemblage of the class, described comprising a tank filling neckhaving two opposed 'arcu-ate-inwardly projecting flanges at its outerend, said flanges-being of substantially rightangular cross section andhaving helically pitched edges presentedtd ward the inner end of saidneck, the-inner side of said flanges being provided with ing means beingreleasable by inward sliding of said key-operated means.

3. An assemblage of the class described comprising a flanged cap havinga central sleeve projecting outwardly beyond the outer side of the cap,a lock body lying against the inner side of the cap, and provided with asecond sleeve passing through and projecting beyond the outer end ofsaid first named sleeve, said body having an opening alined with saidsecond sleeve, a locking bolt carried by said body, and key-actuatedoperating means for said bolt carried by said body and having anoperating portion 'ex- 7 tending outwardly through said opening andthrough and beyond the outer end of said second sleeve.

4. A lock comprising abody, a spring-pro jected locking bolt slidablymounted on said body, a. spindle slidably and rotatably mounted on saidbody, said spindle being operatively connected with said bolt forretracting the latter when the spindle is turned in one direction, and aself-applied latch mounted on said body for holding said bolt inretracted position, said latch having a releasing portion postioned tobe struck by said spindle when the latter is inwardly slid, therebyreleasing said latch and allowing projection of said bolt.

5. A lock comprising a body, a springprojected locking bolt slidablymounted on said body, a spindle slidably and rotatably mounted on saidbody, said spindle being operatively connected with said bolt forretracting the latter when the spindle is turned in one direction, and aspring arm secured to said body and lying against said bolt, the latterhaving a tooth for co-action with said spring arm in holding the boltretracted, said spring arm being positioned to be struck by said spindleupon inward sliding of the lat ter, thereby releasing said spring armfrom said tooth and allowing projection of the bolt.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WILLOUGHBY F. HOLLISTER.

